HMTech.ca

Sep 04 2008

Windows XP Shuts Down Automatically at Random Times

Filed under: Technology, Troubleshooting by: brennan

I was recently servicing a computer that would reboot itself sporadically during the boot process and then sometimes during normal use. This was a frustrating problem because the cause of the reboots can be so many things (failing power supply, overheating, virus, etc). About a month ago I was able to fix a computer that rebooted at the same time during the boot process. That problem was solved simply by running a chkdsk and fixing a bad sector – details here. This problem isn’t as clear cut because the reboots happen at random times.

Random reboots are the result of either a software or hardware problem. It’s best to start investigating the software before replacing hardware components.

One of the best places to start looking for potential problems is the Windows XP System log. The System log is one of three main logs that Windows maintains so that you can get more information about events that happen “behind the scenes”. By examining these logs, you can get an idea as to what’s causing the problem.

The following instructions are for Windows Vista but the process is nearly identical in Windows XP.

First of all, right click on My Computer and select “Manage” from the menu.

Right-Click My Computer and select Manage

This will open the Computer Management window.

Click the arrow beside “Event Viewer” and then click the arrow beside “Windows Logs”. Click on the System log to bring up a list of chronological events in the right pane of the window.

The System Log keeps track of any critical alerts generated by the computer

Scroll through the list of events on the right side of the window and look for any re-occurring errors. There are three types of alerts here. “Information” is simply that and can generally be ignored. “Warnings” may be worth a look but shouldn’t be anything serious. The red “Error”s are the ones you want to investigate. Double click on an error to get more information about the alert.

An error found in the system log

This could give you some insight into what may be causing the problem. However, often the error message in quite cryptic and doesn’t make much sense. Fortunately, most of the time, someone else has already experienced the exact same error and written about it on the Internet somewhere. So if you type the error message into Google, you’ll often find pages that can help you solve the problem.

If you’ve resolved any errors in the System log but the computer continues to reboot, you should do the following:

Scan for Viruses: Some viruses can cause the computer to reboot. Update your definitions and run a full system scan

Driver Conflicts: Did you recently install a new piece of hardware or update a driver for a device? Try rolling back to the original driver from the device manager.

Check for Hard drive errors: A corrupt file or bad sector can cause a computer to reboot. Start the computer with the Windows XP disc and enter the recovery console. From the recovery console issue the command “chkdsk /r” which will check the hard disk for errors and attempt to fix them. If you continue to find errors on a hard disk it is probably failing and should be replaced.

Test the Memory: Test for memory errors with Memtest86, a utility is included in the Ultimate Boot CD. Find out more about the Ultimate Boot CD here.

Check the Internal Fans: If a fan has stopped working, the computer may start to overheat. If the processor overheats, the computer will sometimes shut down as a preventative measure. Replace any fans that have stopped working or try to remove any obstructions preventing the fan from rotating.

CPU Temperature: Most newer PCs allow you to check the operating temperature of the processor from the BIOS. Check that the temperature of the CPU is within normal range of your motherboard specifications.

Built-up dust: Dust that collects over time can cause the computer to overheat. Take a can of compressed air and blow out any dust bunnies lying around.

Power Supply: If the computer’s power supply is failing, the computer will shut itself off randomly. As a troubleshooting step, you could try replacing the power supply.

Replace CPU & Motherboard: I have read about people who replaced everything in their computer until they found out it was the CPU causing the computer to reboot.

Install the Latest Service Pack: According to this Microsoft article, the blue screen that accompanied the computer crashing could be caused by a failed service pack installation.